


Heart of Xadia

by Cherry101



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Archmage Callum, Eventual Fluff, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Other, its complicated, mirror au, mirror rayla, uhh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-11-15 22:29:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18082127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cherry101/pseuds/Cherry101
Summary: Hundreds of years after the first King of the Humans ordered the hunting of elves, King Harrow has put a stop to the massacre, locking up his high mage in the process.Callum has always been fascinated with elven culture. Learning how to harness the six primal sources has been his lifelong goal, along with the study of ancient draconic.When he turns eighteen, Claudia shows him something - something that would change his life forever.A mirror.





	1. The Mirror

“Where are we going, Claudia?”

 

“Shhh!” Claudia presses a finger against her lips and then against Callum’s. Her dark hair is tied out of her face into a bun, the pink streaks almost glowing in the faded light of the hidden hallway. “This is a secret hallway, Callum - nobody can know we’re down here.” To emphasize her point, she taps her nose and then his, her eyes comically wide. 

 

Callum shrugs off her invasive finger, pursing his lips together. His eighteenth birthday had been yesterday, and the dark mage - his closest friend - had promised something special for it. Something new. 

 

“If this is some dark magicky stuff, I told you I want no part of it,” he whispers, begrudgingly following Claudia through the tunnels that only she really knew how to navigate. 

 

In the years following her father Viren’s imprisonment, the tunnels have all but gone to waste, as only he truly knew how to find his way around. It was possibly the only negative thing about his imprisonment. 

 

Claudia rolls her eyes, “it isn’t dark magic stuff, not really. It’s more… elfy.”

 

Elfy? Callum perks up at that. For years, he’s been studying elves and elven magic, interested in a culture long forgotten. Even now, elven artifacts were ridiculously hard to come by. 

 

“What is it?”

 

As they round a corner, Claudia lowers her voice, “you’ve heard the story of the Moonshadow Six, right?” 

 

It takes willpower not to roll his eyes and say ‘well duh’, “everybody knows that story, Claudia.”

 

“Everybody knows of the assassins,” she corrects, “but not the outcome.” 

 

“...you’re going to tell the story, aren’t you.” Callum deadpans. 

 

Claudia just winks. 

 

“Long ago, before the hunting of elves truly began, there was a king. This was the most famous king of the humans, before the five kingdoms were split. He was well-loved by his people, kind and just.

 

“However, the elves distrusted him. They did not care for his promises of goodwill and peace. They wanted only to squash the humans like bugs beneath their feet. 

 

“So, they sent a group of six moonshadow elf assassins to kill the king.” 

 

Callum snorts, “once again, I reiterate - everybody knows that story.”

 

“But do you know what comes after?” Claudia gives him a hard look. 

 

“Well,” he swallows, “we know that they were stopped. I always assumed that they were killed - the start of the elf huntings. Moonshadow elves are all but extinct, right?”

 

Claudia nods, “except the king didn’t kill the assassins. No, he devised a fate far worse. His high mage used dark magic to lock up their souls inside of the mirror dimension.”

 

“The mirror dimension that doesn’t exist?” 

 

“They say it does exist. Each elf’s soul was captured inside of separate mirrors, and the mirrors scattered.” Claudia comes to a full stop, gesturing towards the room at the end of the corridor they were walking along. “Take a look.” 

 

“Woah,” Callum breathes. 

 

In an otherwise-empty room, a mirror glitters in the dim candlelight. It’s ornate and round, with the slightest sheen of dust catching in the light. Delicate swirls frame the reflective surface, and the top is carved with runes in ancient draconic. 

 

“I found it with dad’s things. Try as I might, I couldn’t get it to reveal anything.” Claudia shakes her head, “but you’re our resident draconic-speaking primal source-using archmage. I figured you could do something with it.” 

 

Callum just stares, mesmerized by the shine of the framing. The runes catch his eye, and he glances upwards, squinting. 

 

“The Heart of Xadia,” he reads, stepping forward and reaching out to lightly trace the carvings, “it’s beautiful.” 

 

He hears Claudia laugh behind him, “I’ll leave you to it, Archmage Callum.” She says the title like a joke shared between friends, and he can almost hear the wink in her voice as she turns and leaves. Nevermind that he probably won’t find his way out again. Oh well. 

 

Callum brushes some of the dust off of the mirror, frowning, “If Viren kept you around, it must be for a reason,” he mumbles to himself. If dark magic couldn’t reveal anything, what could?

 

Well, he thinks, his own magic is worth a try. With a deep breath, he traces two runes into the air with his finger, summoning the primal magic from within him before releasing with a softly muttered “ _ ilyin nostrum” _ . 

 

The mirror shimmers. 

 

Callum watches as the reflective surface shifts, swirling with fog and clouds before settling on a new image. One that wasn’t so reflective. It was… a room. 

 

A room, with a small library in the corner, something that could be assumed to be a punching bag in the other, with tacked-up drawings hanging from the walls. There was a figure, covered in a cloak, sitting with their back to him, hunched over a desk. 

 

Callum taps the mirror, curious. 

 

The figure jerks alert, head turning to look directly at him. They stand up, hood still in place, and walk towards him. Their head tilts, causing the hood to fall back and reveal white hair and lavender eyes and dark skin. 

 

And pointed ears. 

 

And horns. 

 

“A moonshadow elf,” Callum breathes, leaning in. 

 

The elf jumps back, startled. Their purple eyes scan his face, flickering from his eyes to his decidingly human ears and head. Those eyes furrow in confusion, and they take another step back. 

 

“Wait!” Callum steps back as well, hoping to ease the elf in the mirror, “It’s okay. My name’s Callum, what’s yours?” 

 

The elf just frowns at him. 

 

_ They can’t hear me,  _ he realizes, frowning himself. He hums, scanning the room for something, anything… 

 

Well, he always carries his sketchbook with him. 

 

Hesitantly, Callum turns to an empty page in his sketchbook. This is an elf, he reminds himself - they won’t know any human tongue. Instead, he carefully writes down several runes, spelling out words in a language he never thought he’d be able to use. 

 

He holds the sketchbook up to the mirror. 

 

**MY NAME IS CALLUM,** the page read,  **WHAT’S YOURS?**

 

And then, underneath,  **I MEAN NO HARM, I PROMISE.**

 

The elf frowns again, and then pulls out a sheet of paper. After a couple minutes scribbling onto the paper, they hold it up for Callum to see. Somehow, despite the reflective nature of the mirror, he can read it. 

 

**MY NAME IS RAYLA,** the note reads. 

 

“Rayla,” Callum says aloud, tasting the name. 

 

Rayla. 

  
  



	2. Communication is Key

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a pathetic chapter but I wanted to get something done today. Enjoy!

You’re staring off into space again.” 

 

“Huh?” Callum jerks out of his thoughts, blinking. 

 

King Harrow - his stepfather, he should say - laughs from across the table. It’s dinnertime here at the castle, and normally Callum’s more involved. It is the only time he has to freely talk to his parents, after all. 

 

“He’s been doing that for days,” Ezran complains, “not even Bait has snapped him out of his thoughts.” 

 

“Sounds like somebody has something to think about,” his mom, Sarai, says almost teasingly, her eyes sparkling, “or maybe someone?” 

 

Callum flushes red, picking at his food with his fork to distract himself. Normally, his mom’s teasing doesn’t get to him(much), but her words hit so close to the truth it almost gives himself away. 

 

“It isn’t like that,” he says defensively, “it’s just that, well, Claudia gave me something for my birthday and I’m still trying to figure it out. I guess I can’t stop thinking about it.” 

 

“Oh, it’s  _ magic  _ again,” Ezran snorts. Ever since turning thirteen, his younger brother has become more snippety and sarcastic than before. Callum hopes it’s only teenage-related. 

 

“I suppose magic is just as distracting as a beautiful girl,” Sarai says, sneaking a sly glance at Harrow as she says it. 

 

“I suppose,” Harrow agrees, wrapping an arm around her. 

 

Callum sighs, pushing his plate forward before standing up, “I’m leaving.” 

 

“Have fun with your magic!” His mom calls after him as he walks away from the dining room. He rolls his eyes, walking down towards the entrance of the secret tunnels. 

 

His mom is right, as always - it is a girl on his mind. A specific girl. A moonshadow elf. 

 

Can they blame him, though? Elves were all but extinct nowadays, and the opportunity to actually talk to a real elf is one he could never pass up. Not to mention one of the six moonshadow elf assassins that really kickstarted the war - he has so many questions. 

 

He had some answered over the past week. Although his time had been limited, he sneaks down into the corridors anytime he has a chance, if it means getting to talk to Rayla. Talking to her, learning more about the elves… it’s been a dream come true. 

 

Fingers drum against his side as he hustles down the corridors, casting the occasional light spell to illuminate the dark hallways. He hardly remembers the path, as twisted as the halls are. Over the week, he’s gotten better at not making a wrong turn somewhere, but he’s still unsure. 

 

Luckily, this time, he weaves through the tunnels easily, and arrives at the room he had dubbed the “mirror room” without distraction. The mirror sits against the wall, as always, the surface blank. Callum glances behind him, making sure he wasn’t followed - a habit, even though Viren was imprisoned months ago. 

 

“Ilyin nostrum,” he whispers once again, drawing the runes in the air. 

 

The mirror shimmers and then the room appears. Nothing has changed much, save for a rough sketch of him pinned to the wall facing him. Callum almost feels touched. 

 

Rayla’s sitting facing her desk, her back hunched over. She doesn’t seem to have noticed him, so Callum lightly taps the mirror. Reminiscent of their first meeting, Rayla jumps, her head turning to give him a sheepish glance. She stands, picking up the piece of paper she had been writing on, and rushes over to him. 

 

Callum waves, tugging his sketchbook out. He’s already written his first message, but before he can do anything, Rayla shakes her head. She holds her own paper up. 

 

**I HAVE A WAY FOR US TO COMMUNICATE BETTER,** the paper reads in her messy handwriting.

 

Callum raises an eyebrow. She hasn’t said anything about an easier way to talk - although to be fair, he was going to ask, if only because he’s running out of paper in his sketchbook. 

 

He tilts his head and nods, a silent means of communication. 

 

Rayla offers another smile - one slightly more teasing, a smile that almost makes Callum question himself on her trustworthiness - before turning her back to quickly scribble something else down. 

 

**LARIGNA,** the paper reads now, and underneath is a rune. 

 

Callum frowns - a small part of his brain tells him that he really shouldn’t be trusting a moonshadow elf who had been trapped in a mirror for years - but nevertheless he draws the rune in the air. “Larigna.” 

 

As soon as he speaks the words, a small tendril of purple seeps from the mirror. It curls around his head, producing a tingling sensation that has Callum shivering. 

 

“...can you hear me?” A distinct, female voice asks. 

 

Callum glances around him, confused, before turning back to the mirror. Rayla is looking at him curiously. She opens her mouth. 

 

“Well, can you?” And the words line up so perfectly with her mouth… 

 

“Rayla?” He asks aloud, staring her dead in the eyes. 

 

“Callum,” she says back, her voice whimsical. 

 

Briefly, he wonders how he can understand her - when they spoke through written words, they both used the language of magic. It must show in his face, because she chuckles - a musical sound - and sets her paper down. 

 

“It’s the only spell I actually know. A communication spell. It lets the two people talk to each other no matter where they are or what language they speak.” She explains, crossing her arms in front of her. 

 

“That’s… that’s really cool,” Callum grins at her, “I can’t believe we’re actually talking.”

 

“Says you,” Rayla says with a sigh, “I haven’t heard an actual voice in  _ years _ .” 

 

Although she doesn’t sound accusatory - not in the slightest- Callum still feels the smallest pang of guilt. When they first started talking, she had told him that the reason she felt no ill will towards him was because it wasn’t him who trapped her, but he still feels… well, bad that humans had stolen her from her normal life and imprisoned her. 

 

Once again, his guilt must show on his face because Rayla’s expression softens. She tugs a chair towards her and takes a seat, “Come on, sad human. I think we left off on moonshadow magic.” 

 

Although he still feels bad, Callum lets himself smile softly and sit down, legs crossing. “Right.” 


	3. Viren

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What? Two fics in one day? Yeah I'm shocked too. Lol. Enjoy!

The light in the halls are dim, moreso than anywhere else in the palace. Firelight flickers, the torches illuminating the steel bars and silver chains. 

 

“Hello Viren,” Callum murmurs, slowing to a stop in front of the only occupied cell. 

 

The former high mage glances upwards. While he looked normal for the most part, his eyes were blank, almost black in the dim light. He didn’t speak. 

 

Callum forces himself to swallow.  _ He can’t hurt me now _ , he thinks, arching his back a little and forcing his shoulders down and back. While part of him remembers the frantic flurry of action that sent the man into prison, he attempts to bury the memories, keeping his head tall. 

 

“What, cat got your tongue?” He asks, tilting his head, “you were always talking. I remember being very annoyed, in fact. You never stopped. So why now?” 

 

Viren gives him a level stare before turning his head away. 

 

Callum bristles, his fists clenching. Calm down, he tells himself, forcing his fingers to relax and fall limp to his side. 

 

“You don’t want to talk. Alright, that’s fine.” Callum turns away, “when you are ready, I have some questions about that mirror.” 

 

He hears movement, and when he turns back, Viren has leaned forward, his gaze steely. 

 

“Yeah, Claudia showed me the mirror. I bet you never figured out how to unlock it, too. Well, guess what? My “foolish interests” and “waste of time activities” paid off.” He turns away again, only stealing a glance out of the corner of his eye, “so when you’re ready to talk about it, I’ll be waiting.” With that, he walks off, his muscles stiff the entire time. 

 

It’s only when he exits the dungeon that he can relax, shoulders slumping as he exhales breathily. Why he thought that seeking answers from Viren would work, he doesn’t know, but he does know it was a bitter waste of his time. He should’ve known that the man would never willingly reveal anything. 

 

Still. 

 

**“Learn anything** ?” 

 

Callum all but jumps, his hand flying to his ear. “Ah! - you can’t just…” he stammers, lowering his voice as he wanders the halls to go back to his room. 

 

Rayla chuckles - it’s almost eerie, listening to somebody when nobody is in sight - “ **sorry, forgive me for being** **_curious_ ** **.”**

 

While she can’t hear anything aside from him, it’s been nice being able to talk to her whenever, mirror or not.

 

He passes a guard, and the man tilts his head, “Prince Callum.”

 

Callum tilts his head in response, swallowing. 

 

He still hasn’t told Rayla that he’s the prince. While he doesn’t think it would be that big of a deal… well… 

 

It was a King and his high mage who first separated the six elves and imprisoned them. With how Rayla speaks of the mirror dimension, he’s sure she hasn’t forgotten that. 

 

_ “Wait, so you don’t eat?!”  _

 

_ “Nope. There’s no need. Plus, there’s not exactly any food here.” Rayla gestures to the room behind her, “it’s like… like my body is in a permanent state of rest, except I’m awake. I don’t need to eat, I don’t need to drink, I don’t need sleep. Nothing to do to pass the time except draw, or read, or stare at the wall and dream about the past.” _

 

_ She has that bitter, wistful tone again and he winces, “that actually sounds…” _

 

_ “Eh, it isn’t too bad. I’ve gotten pretty good at drawing,” she grins, “maybe even better than you, sad human.” _

 

_ “My name is Callum, you don’t have to call me “sad human” all the time.” _

 

_ “I like that better though.”  _

 

He still has so many questions about her - about the past, the history that’s been erased from human memory - but they’re… not quite there yet. 

 

Callum reaches his room, and - with only a moment’s hesitation - he pushes the door open, quickly shutting it behind him. 

 

“You’re back.” 

 

Ezran is sitting on the bed, his legs swinging as he holds Bait, “you took  _ forever _ .” 

 

Callum smiles fondly at his brother, walking to take a seat next to him, “sorry, Ez. I had… things to do.”

 

“ **Are you talking to your brother?”**

 

He has to ignore Rayla for now - it would be weird to be talking to himself essentially, so he just offers his brother a smile, “thanks for meeting me here.” 

 

“Sure,” and Ezran is giving him a strange look, his blue eyes glittering with something foreign. 

 

“What?” 

 

“You’re still acting weird. Suuuper weird.” Ezran nudges Bait, “isn’t he, Bait?” The glowtoad just gives them both a disgruntled look. 

 

“Look, Ez… it’s complicated, okay?” Callum doesn’t know what else to say on that matter, not without bringing up Rayla(and he doesn’t know how to bring her up, not yet) so instead he scoots a bit closer. 

 

“Listen, I have something to ask.”

 

“I figured that was why you told me to meet you here,” Ezran quips. He sounds more and more like Sarai every day, and Callum can’t help but roll his eyes. 

 

“Yes, that’s why. Anyway…” he lowers his voice, “I know you spend a lot of time… exploring.” 

 

“That’s one way of putting it, yeah.”

 

“Well… when you were exploring… did you ever find anything… magical?”

 

Claudia had mentioned, not long ago, that her dad had recently moved the mirror into the room it was in now. She suspected that there could be books explaining more about the mirror dimension, but if there were, they would’ve been hidden with the mirror where it was originally. To get the books… 

 

“Maybe, why?” 

 

“I’m… looking for something.” Easiest way to put it. “Can you… can you show me?”

 

Ezran gives him another look before nodding, “Come on, follow me.”

 

Ezran leads him out the door, through the halls to a portrait. A gentle nudge pushes the painting aside, revealing spiraling tunnels. Down the tunnels they go, until they get to a dead end made of stones. 

 

“This is a dead end,” Callum comments. 

 

Ezran laughs, shaking his head, “you’re not imaginative enough, Callum. Just give me a second.” He scans the wall, pressing at a couple of the stones, his eyes narrowed in focus. 

 

Callum taps his foot, waiting.

 

After a couple of seconds, the rocks pull away to reveal an entrance. Ezran grins, proud of himself, “It took me  _ forever _ to find that combination,” he says, turning to give Callum a knowing smirk before walking through the entrance. Callum had no choice but to follow. 

 

Inside was a decent-sized room, covered head to toe with various jars and boxes. Sickly plants wilted in the dark, the only light in the corner of the room where some butterflies flitted around. 

 

“Woah,” Callum breathes. 

 

**“What is it?”** He hears Rayla ask. 

 

“This… this must be Viren’s workshop, right?” He ends up asking himself, mostly for her benefit. After all, it wasn’t her fault that she couldn’t see the room with her own eyes. 

 

Ezran nods, “I’ve watched him work a couple of times. He never even knew I was here.” With a sheepish smile, he gestures to something curtained off. “He was most obsessed with that. I don’t know why - it was just a mirror.” 

 

Just a mirror. 

 

Callum steps forward, eyes narrowing. “Just a mirror?” He murmurs aloud, reaching out to tug the curtain away. He fully expects the space beyond to be empty, devoid of the mirror that graces the hidden room far away. 

 

It isn’t. 

 

Callum blinks at the sight of a mirror. A different mirror - the curved edges older, almost more regal. The surface clean and smooth, with only the slightest sheen of dust. 

 

And the inscription… 

 

“The Leader of Death,” Callum reads, confused. 

 

Then, he hears a sharp intake of breath. 

 

**“...Runaan?”**

  
  
  
  



	4. Story of Dragons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof finally

Rayla’s been unusually silent. 

 

Callum’s tried to give her some space, spending more time with his family and with Claudia than with the mirror. He knows that when she’s ready, she’ll start talking again. He knows that. 

 

Really. 

 

The other mirror - the one that started this whole mess - now sits next to Rayla’s mirror, after a long night spent carrying it from the hidden workshop to the similarly hidden room. Callum thought that she would want to see it with her own eyes - except she hasn’t been in a talkative mood. 

 

He doesn’t want to push her - really, he doesn’t - but it’s been a week with radio silence on her end, and he’s a bit worried. Besides, he loves his family, but spending the extra time with them is already starts to take a toll on him. 

 

Sometimes, he thinks that they wish he weren’t so obsessed with all things Xadian. 

 

Sometimes, he wonders if they’re right to wish that. 

 

He wanders down to the hidden room in the middle of the night, after spending hours tossing and turning, eyes still wide open. He figures at the least… well, at the least he can read. The room is comforting in a way, with the bare walls. He left a small stack of books and a stool the last time he visited.

 

Callum sits down when he arrives, gingerly picking up a book and trying to avoid the only things in the entire room. 

 

“It’s okay.” He mumbles to himself. 

 

He manages to keep himself busy for maybe an hour, possibly longer. He’s still restless, though, and his fingers start itching along the pages, twisting and linking together. Words start to blur and sentences drag on and lines repeat themselves and Callum knows it’s about time to stop. 

 

He glances up at the mirrors. 

 

His foot taps against the ground.

 

“Uuugh,” he groans, standing. With a longing glance at Rayla’s mirror, he steps in front of the other one, tracing the edging with a finger. 

 

“Ilyin nostrum,” he murmurs, watching the surface of the mirror intently. 

 

Nothing. The face of the mirror continues to reflect his own face, staying smooth. 

 

Callum groans again, covering his face with his hands, “ugh, I should’ve known that wouldn’t work.”

 

“Yeah, idiot.” 

 

Callum jumps, spinning so fast on his heel he almost gives himself whiplash, locking glances with a tired looking Rayla. No, not tired, he thinks; sorrowful. 

 

He blinks. 

 

“Your unlock spell thing only works for me, it seems,” she says, crossing her arms, “so you’ll have to try something else.” 

 

Her voice is so dry, so dead, he almost winces, “I’m sorry, Rayla. I’ve been trying to give you some space, but-”

 

“It’s fine,” she interrupts, rolling her eyes, “you’re curious, I get it.” There’s almost a bite to her tone - a jaded bitterness that he supposes is natural for her condition. One of her hands rubs at her eyes, her lips pursing in a frown. 

 

“I… I’ll leave you alone,” he says, turning on his shoulder. It’s one of the few times that he’s grateful the mirror locks on its own; he doesn’t have to stay longer than needed to cast another spell. 

 

“Wait,” Rayla says, freezing him in his tracks. Callum slowly turns back around, watching her rub at her arms, looking quite sheepish. 

 

“I’m… sorry, I’m sorry,” she mumbles, eyes downcast, “I didn’t mean to take my frustration out on you.” 

 

“It’s well deserved,” Callum tells her, watching as she glances up at him for that, a question in her stare, “humans were the ones that imprisoned you, right? You, and the other five elves? You have every right to be angry with me.” 

 

“But that must have been years ago,” Rayla frowns, “you look nothing like the human king and his pet mage.” 

 

She sounds forlorn and distant, even as she releases a soft breath with her words.

 

“What happened, all those years ago?” Callum blurts out before he can stop himself, internally wincing, “I mean, if you want to talk about it.” 

 

Rayla sighs, sitting down on her stool and running fingers through her white hair, “I… I suppose you’re not the  _ worst _ person to talk to.” 

 

He’s about to say something else but then she places a finger on her lips, tossing the hood of her cloak a bit. 

 

“You’re about to say something self-depreciating, so shush,” she says, “besides, it’s been so long since I’ve talked about any of this, and well… I’m sure the humans have twisted the story around a lot. The winner tells the tale, after all. Somebody needs to know the truth.” 

 

“Well, when you put it that way…” 

 

Rayla laughs, her legs crossing, “sit down, sad human. I have a story to tell.” 

 

Callum complies, sitting down on the ground facing the mirror, his legs crossing. 

 

“When I was twelve,” Rayla starts, fidgeting with the seams of her cloak, “humans invaded Xadia, crossing the border that the Dragon King himself etched in fire. They traveled beyond the breach and into the Lair of Dragons, the cave system that is home to the King and Queen of Dragons, along with their egg - the Dragon Prince.

 

“The humans took the dragons by surprise. The battle was not a fair one, and both the Dragon King and Queen lost their lives.” 

 

“Woah,” Callum breathes. He hadn’t even  _ heard _ of a dragon king or queen. 

 

Rayla nods, “the Dragon Guard - an elite elven force tasked with the protection of the monarchy - fled the battle with the egg of the prince. For three years, Xadia fell into chaos, with no ruler. 

 

“Finally, a couple of the leading elves in each respective tribe decided to step up and decide on a course of action. They decided that Sunfire elves should guard the border, that Startouch elves should read the stars for a better course of action, that Skywing elves should research spells, Oceanwave elves should tend to the wounded, Earthblood elves should keep the land thriving so that we didn’t fall into any more disrepair. 

 

“And, lastly, that Moonshadow elves should mend the wrong and seek revenge.” 

 

Rayla pauses, letting the information sink in, before she continues.    
  


“My mentor, Runaan, was elected to be leader of a mission to seek revenge for the death of our monarch. He was allowed to bring his five team members. It’s what we do best, after all - stealth.” She pauses again, looking pensive, “it was supposed to be an easy mission. Sneak in, use the full moon to our advantage. Kill the King and Queen of the human kingdom, send them into disarray so we can prepare for something… more. 

 

“But... “ and she hangs her head, her lips pursed, “it was my first mission, and when I had the chance to kill, I hesitated.

 

“We lost the element of surprise, and the King found us. I thought… I thought we were going to  _ die _ .

 

“Now… I’m not sure what was the worser fate.” 

 

Her voice cracks at the end, and Callum winces in sympathy, wishing(and not for the first time) that he could do something to comfort her. Take her hand, rub her shoulder,  _ something _ . 

 

“I’ve never heard of a dragon king,” he ends up saying instead, watching as she rubs at her eyes, the vivid purple markings all but glowing under her hand, “he and the queen must have been lost to history. I’m sure the human king didn’t want his future subjects to know about that, after all.”

 

“I suppose then that the dragon prince hasn’t magically reappeared?” Rayla asks dryly, with a hint of something more in her tone. 

 

Callum shakes his head, “no, no prince either.” 

 

Rayla sighs deeply at this, a troubled look in her eyes. He wants to ask about it, but he also doesn’t want to push her - she’s said plenty already. 

 

“That doesn’t mean he doesn’t exist though?” Callum offers - a weak attempt to cheer her up - and when she glances questioningly at him, he clarifies, “Xadia’s air has a toxin in it that makes us humans sick - I think that elves cast a spell to make it so, so that humans couldn’t completely invade Xadia. The Dragon Prince could easily be alive and thriving, we just don’t know it because we can’t get into Xadia.” 

 

“That… makes sense I suppose,” Rayla laughs a little, the troubled look easing away to one more of relief before giving way to something more akin to shock, “uh, Callum?” 

 

“Yeah?” 

 

“I think there’s someone behind you.” 

 

Callum turns around and his eyes widen. 

 

“Ezran?” 

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, TDP! It would seem that Rayllum is enough to drag me out of my miserable writers block! Hopefully, I'll continue to write this, I'm quite in love with this AU. 
> 
> If you'd like to ask me questions, come find me on tumblr under the name ch-ch-ch-cherrybomb !


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